OK. I wasn't at my best.

[Hartsy]

Last game out was not my best game, but my partner and I felt we did alright. We did have to deal with a vocal crowd and two "sideline officials", making me wonder if my opinion on my performance is being influenced by what I was HEARING rather than what I was DOING.

I know we have all worked games like this. I have been trying to learn something every game, but feel that I may come to some wrong conclusions with these outside influences unconsciously creeping into my thoughts.

What kind of things can I learn from games like this? Can I be sure I'm evaluating my performance fairly? I want to concentrate on fixing what really needs fixed, not on some imaginary problem.

This game has already been forgotten. How should I use the next one like it?

Hartsy

[zebraman]

Originally posted by Hartsy
Last game out was not my best game, but my partner and I felt we did alright. We did have to deal with a vocal crowd and two "sideline officials", making me wonder if my opinion on my performance is being influenced by what I was HEARING rather than what I was DOING.

I know we have all worked games like this. I have been trying to learn something every game, but feel that I may come to some wrong conclusions with these outside influences unconsciously creeping into my thoughts.

What kind of things can I learn from games like this? Can I be sure I'm evaluating my performance fairly? I want to concentrate on fixing what really needs fixed, not on some imaginary problem.

This game has already been forgotten. How should I use the next one like it?

Hartsy

Hartsy,

First of all, you can't let what people say from the stands (or even the sidelines) qualify as input to how well you performed. Those people are biased and generally uneducated not only on rules, but on how to call a game. The more experienced you become, the less you'll care about those in the peanut gallery. Of course, if they go TOO FAR over the line, you can always ask game management to remove someone (or at least have game mgmt. go sit by them and talk to them) if they are being too verbally abusive.

As far as the "sideline officials" go, I'll assume you are talking about the coaches. In that case, you can replay the game over in your mind and figure out what you might have done. Did you let them go too far? Did you try to communicate with them? Would a technical foul have helped shut their pieholes?

Other than that, let it go. The lack of sportsmanship by those watching this game is their problem, not necessarily a reflection of your officiating ability.

Z

[Hotlink501]

Real good advice Zebraman, Hartsy, never pay any attention to the peanut gallery. As Z-man said, if they become too unruly, let admin. take care of them. Keep your eyes and ears on the game and do your best. Good pregame and postgame conferences with your co-partner(s) is also very helpful if just starting out, get their input and feedback on calls and situations.

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by Hartsy
... but feel that I may come to some wrong conclusions with these outside influences unconsciously creeping into my thoughts.

What kind of things can I learn from games like this?

I speak from experience here, because I've had this problem too. You get to a point where nothing feels right, and you spend three days after the game second and third and fourth guessing every call and no-call. What you need to learn is how to augment the voices that are good for you to hear, and minimize everything else. How you do that depends on you. Some people use memorized affirmations, some hold imaginary conversations in their heads with a mentor or other friend. One thing that's helped me a little is to tape a game. If you know while the game is going on that you can look at it later, it makes it easier to dismiss the whiners. Figure out what will work best for you, and then do it.

[David B]

Originally posted by rainmaker

I speak from experience here, because I've had this problem too. You get to a point where nothing feels right, and you spend three days after the game second and third and fourth guessing every call and no-call. What you need to learn is how to augment the voices that are good for you to hear, and minimize everything else. How you do that depends on you. Some people use memorized affirmations, some hold imaginary conversations in their heads with a mentor or other friend. One thing that's helped me a little is to tape a game. If you know while the game is going on that you can look at it later, it makes it easier to dismiss the whiners. Figure out what will work best for you, and then do it.

We've all made calls where a minute later we might think, shoot I might have missed that one.

But, the game continues and with basketball so much happens so fast it makes it easy to quickly get off of that thought and get to the task at hand.

Concentrate on a certain play, tell yourself something to watch, (feet for a travel) (an off-ball screen) (weak side rebound) or (to referee the defense when in the lead).

A little self talk always gets me back to the game and with so much to watch, who has time to think about a missed call?

Anyway, that seems to have helped me a lot.

Thanks
David

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally posted by Hartsy
Last game out was not my best game, but my partner and I felt we did alright. We did have to deal with a vocal crowd and two "sideline officials", making me wonder if my opinion on my performance is being influenced by what I was HEARING rather than what I was DOING.

I know we have all worked games like this. I have been trying to learn something every game, but feel that I may come to some wrong conclusions with these outside influences unconsciously creeping into my thoughts.

What kind of things can I learn from games like this? Can I be sure I'm evaluating my performance fairly? I want to concentrate on fixing what really needs fixed, not on some imaginary problem.

This game has already been forgotten. How should I use the next one like it?

Hartsy

I feel your pain I had something like this happen earlier this year. I felt like my calls were poorly chosen and the coach was in my ear about stuff I was "missing." I believed we had done a pretty good job, but it felt wrong at the time.

I talked with my partner after the game, I thought through it all several times and identified calls that I had questions about, then I posted some specific questions here. It all helped. It took a couple of days, but then I was able to put that game to bed, and more importantly, I can face similar situations in the future a little better prepared.

[TimTaylor]

Lots of good suggestions. The important thing to remember is that you and your partner are probably the only two people in the building that are truly impartial and have no vested interest in the game's outcome.

Regarding the spectators, learn to tune them out. I choose to completely ignore them. My focus is on the players and the game.

Coaches are easier. They get a little more attention than the crowd, but not much. When they push the limits I have a 3 step process:
1. "Coach, I hear you"
2. "Coach, that's enough" with visual stop sign
3. whack

[Tim Roden]

I don't forget any game. I just don't let it bother me. "What doesn't kill me makes me better." Second, if both coaches are upset, you are doing a good job. If only one coach is upset then I would worry. The last game I called was one of those games, where I ended up having to call both coaches over and discuss with them how the game should be called. We had a blowout with lots of rough play. You don't want to call anything but you end up having to call a "T" on a player because it gets too rough. The fans were upset but the coaches were satisfied with the officiating. All because we had the talk and were on the same page with how the game was to be called.

[Blackhawk357]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rainmaker

One thing that's helped me a little is to tape a game. If you know while the game is going on that you can look at it later, it makes it easier to dismiss the whiners. Figure out what will work best for you, and then do it.

Hartsy,

Juulie has a great point here. Video tape is a great tool. If you have any way to get a tape of the game, I'd do it. Seldom is a game tape from a school done as well as we'd like to see it, but it is still better than nothing.

One of the best things about reviewing a tape in this situation is that the emotion is gone and you can evaluate the job you did calmly. If you find something you think you missed, that's the first step. Go back and see if you can identify why. If you can find the source of the problem, then and only then, you can correct it.

You've already taken the biggest step, it's the one that takes the most fortitude, admitting that there could have been a problem and being committed to fixing it.

Good luck!

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by David B
Concentrate on a certain play, tell yourself something to watch, (feet for a travel) (an off-ball screen) (weak side rebound) or (to referee the defense when in the lead).

A little self talk always gets me back to the game and with so much to watch, who has time to think about a missed call?

This is an excellent suggestion for getting yourself back into the game. When I'm having trouble with distractions, either internal or external, I talk out loud to myself (quietly). It really does help.

[TimTaylor]

Originally posted by rainmaker
[/B]

This is an excellent suggestion for getting yourself back into the game. When I'm having trouble with distractions, either internal or external, I talk out loud to myself (quietly). It really does help. [/B][/QUOTE]

Very true Juulie - got a feeling I'm going to be using it later today. Back to back PIL frosh/JV girls games, last minute partner change for the JV game. Just got off the phone confirming with new partner - his first JV game & he's nervous, one of the JV coaches is somewhat of an HM......all the elements are there. Just have to work harder to keep the focus & stay on top of it.

[tjones1]

One thing I like to do is look for a good call you made and build off it. Or look for something you did wrong that game and then corrected later in the game, use this to build. Hang in there, we all have our ups and downs, our in and outs. You'll be fine!

T Jones